Minimalist Tile Concepts

What is minimalism?

Minimalism is a design concept centered around the idea that less is more. Minimalist design focuses on the most important elements of a design and discards extra embellishments. This style is characterized by clean lines, neutrals, white space, and longevity.

What does minimalism in tile look like?

Minimalism in tile means making creative decisions that will last years in your house. The tile should help open and brighten your space, making it a place of inspiration and focused aesthetic. We hope that these minimalist backsplash tile concepts help you find a way to incorporate this helpful design philosophy into your next home renovation!

Here are some gorgeous simple backsplash ideas to try:

Raw edge finish.

Let the natural beauty of a tile’s shape stand out with a raw edge. Rather than looking unfinished, with a unique tile shape this becomes a clean transition from tile to wall. We think this tile concept looks particularly beautiful with Diamond, Hexagon, and Moroccan Fish Scale shaped tile.

Medium Diamonds – 613 Black, 366 Satin Black. Carrick Matte countertop by Cambria.

Play with texture in neutrals.

A great idea to ensure that minimalism doesn’t look too cold or boring is to use a variety of textured glazes in a neutral palette. All of our tile is hand painted by our Tile Elves, certain glazes we have allow for those brush strokes to show through. Other glazes simply have magical variation to them. Learn more here. Using a color that has this unique feature creates interest, warmth, and depth to any tile project. We have over a hundred glaze colors to choose from ranging from shiny to matte and high to low variation.

Hexagon – 130 White, 11 Deco White

Single line of contrast.

This minimalist backsplash is the perfect example of less being more. Consider using limited colors for a less-is-more approach. Creating a clean line of tile contrast draws extra attention to the tile and lets it stand out.

Medium Diamonds – 366 Satin Black

Perfectly paired fixtures.

Find fixtures to surround your tile that will enhance the overall design. We love this example from Nick Schiffer. This beautiful shower fixture adds to an interesting geometric element to the diamond tiles. Clean lines and white space can help brighten a small space like a shower and turn it into a dream relaxation station.

Medium Diamonds – 11 Deco White

Contrasting grout color.

Simple backsplash ideas doesn’t mean boring. Choosing a contrasting grout colors helps our ceramic tile pop. It brings out the detail of the glaze color and texture in a way that is stunning but not overpowering to the rest of the room.

Large Moroccan Fish Scales – 39 London Fog

Subtle Color Variation.

Using subtle color variation on a tile backsplash or wall is a great way to add depth to an installation. We appreciate this minimalist tile concept because it brings out the organic and natural beauty of the ceramic tile. In this example by Intelligent Construction Inc. we particularly like the way the subtle color variation mirrors the grain of the wood used on the floor and cabinets.

Hexagon – 130 White, 11 Deco White

Let the shapes do the talking.

Here at Mercury Mosaics, our layout artists are extremely talented at organizing unique shapes perfectly onto a mesh back for your installation. We love transitioning from one shape to another – these white bubble tiles that transition to subway tile shows just how interesting playing with shapes can be.

3″ x 8″ Subway Tile with Bubbles – 11 Deco White

Buy handmade tile!

One of the most important concepts to minimalism is buying quality over quantity. Purchasing products carefully so that they won’t be sent to a landfill is one of the many reasons we love this design concept. Our handmade tile has a striking attention to detail – each tile goes through the quality control of at least five artisans! If you buy tile from us, it should last your lifetime. Now you have one less thing to think about.

Image via Harrison Barden from “Craft Culture: Piecing it together with Mercury Mosaics”

We love to hear what inspires you! Tell us more about your project for a free quote!

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